Improvement in car-springs



UNITED vs1-ms' WALTER P. HANsELnoF PITTSBURG, rnNNsYLvANrA," Assi'eNon ,or ons FOURTH HIS lRIGHT TO GEORGE W. MORRIS, OF SAMEI'PLAOE.

',lMPRovEMi-:NT IN CAR-SPRINGS.y

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,478, datednAugust2'5,v187z1; vapplication.f 'led July 3,1874,

` To all 'whom'it may concern l Be it known that I, WALTER P. HANsELL, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Gar Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled inthe art `to which it pertains to make and use the* same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to 'the letters of reference marked thereon, which -form a part of this specification.

My present invention is an improvement upon a patent granted to me March 17, 1874, which embraces an Y,elliptical or bow spring with four or more bearing-points in pairs, with two opposite such bearing-points of less pitch or curve than the others, the object being to obtain a double spring of each leaf, to increase its capacity and strength, while obtaining a short spring. The particular features of the invention under this patent consist of a spring formed of a pair of steel plates of any shape, split or cut at their edges toward the center, in a manner to form a series or" semi-elliptical springs between each split, and grouped together in pairs of diiierent pitch, one high and one low, the surface between the splits forining separate and distinct semi-ellipses, and their unequal pitch obtained by being raised in the middle, so as to give each opposite curved surface of the same plate the same pitch, and to produce one or more pairs of such surfaces higher than the others by sloping them toward the center, so. that their bowed edges will be above the plane of the surfaces between the other splits, and in this way give to each plate its group of unequal-pitched semi-ellipses independent of each other, to allow them to be brought into action in pairs under an increased weight. The object and purpose of such con` struction are to obtain a spring that will be effective in the event any one of the separate semi-ellipses should become broken 3 -to relieve the center ot' the plate of strain and transfer it to the points of the semi-ellipses; to hold each pair of plates with their bearing-points in place by the unequal pitch of the semi-ellipses, which brings their points so as to insplit part will restuponl each other, and thereby form stops to preventthem turning.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 'l represents an elevation of a spring embracing my invention. Fig. 2 representsa vie\i\`1`in perspective, of a pair l`of split plates which compose the spring; Fig. 3, an edge view of' the same; Fig.. 4, a view, in perspective, 'of one of the split spring-plates; and Fig. 5, a

view of two of the plates placed back to back.

The springs are arranged in pairs upon a center rod, a, between the usual top and bottom plates A B, secured'to the bolsters of the cars. These springs are of peculiar construction, consisting of steel plates b, split at their edges toward the center at c, in a manner to form semi-elliptical springs d d and e e of unequal pitch, in which the surfaces between the splits c form separate selni-ellipses by being raised in the middle, so as to bring each opposite curved surface d d on the same pitch, and each pair of s uch surfaces raised higher than the others, c c, by inclining them toward the center and above a horizontal line of the less-pitched surfaces, as shown in Fig. 3. The peculiar-ity of this construction causes each ot' the groups of senii-ellipses to yield in the line of its edge, and not toward the center of the plate, so that, notwithstanding -each semi-ellipse is a part of the same plate, yet they become separate and independent springs when acting together. These semi-ellipses are paired with high and low pitchesthat is, a high and low pitched bow bear together, the latter, c6, b ing below the line ofthe former, dd,- and this unequal pitch is made by inclining an equal number of the separate semi-ellipses toward the center above an equal number of straightbacks.

By this arrangement only one set of semiellipses will be constantly in action, and the other set when the weight is increased, and this space between the points of the semi-el lipses is produced by their different pitch; and when they are put together with the points of a high and low semi-ellipse bearing upon each other, it will bring the other nonacting points in position across the bearing PATENT OFFICES 0118s, and. thereby ferm steps to prevent the .ple-tes' from turning en efwhf ebbene@ that the.

very positions of the acting and non-acting Apoints serve to keep them in place. So, also, do the unequal pitches 'of the semi-ellipses serve to keep each pair of springs in place with the othersl by thehighhack oft? one semi-` ellipse matching with the lowbackl of' the other to bring them vflush together, and, acting like shoulders, hold each other from turning, as shown in Fig. 5. Thefangulanforin of the center rod also serves to hold the spring in place.

The top and boi-,toet relates. are-,held inpleee f by anges formed upon the bolster-plates. p

The plate may be split and the set of the semiel1ipses made in any suitable'way that it will produce the Spring described-.3, end-` any number ef plates maybe es es, 11e-ferm the Spring end e115. number. ef these Springe. errenged tegethet. es may be found desirehle 1. A .grpup ef. semifel'li'ntieel Snriugeiu the Seme plete' 'Split tenerli its. centen. andk the l sunfaclelsbetween the splits` bowed to, render 1 their; acting pointsindependnt of. each. other, es Set.fcrth.

2,- A. spring-plate having a group of semielliptical springs of di'erentpitch formed between splits therein, in the manner shown and described.

3. Spring-plates having groups of semi-ellipticalV springs of different pitch, with the semiellipses having the greatest pitch matching with those of less pitch in the combined pain of' plates, as and for the purpose described.

' 4. Spring-plates having groups of semi-elliptical springs formed between splits coml WALTER 1?; HANSELL.

Witnesses.: WM., J LOGAN- BIDDLER. HANSELL. 

